My Chronic Pain/TMS Recovery Story - and why I can help you too!

Hello, I am Miriam Gauci Bongiovanni, and I’m a Certified MindBody Practitioner and Trauma-Informed Coach specialising in chronic pain recovery.

I am not a doctor, nor a specialist on physical (acute) injuries. However, I’ve had the opportunity to learn about the works of the best Pain specialists and neuroscientists whose discoveries are changing the way we understand and treat chronic pain.

I’ve undergone a radical transformation myself (from debilitating pain to completely pain-free!), and over the years I’ve adapted these learnings to my clients, and perfected them to make the teachings easier to understand and apply.

For this reason, today I am able to support and guide people worldwide who suffer from a variety of unresolved chronic symptoms - by making them aware of why their pain has persisted and teaching them what they can do differently to break the cycle.

The approach I teach involves working with the link between chronic pain and the brain, to change the ‘faulty software’ that is responsible for generating constant or intermittent pain.

It will give you back your power, by equipping you with the tools needed to change things around, without having to resort to external help and meeting dead end after dead end.

The wonderful thing when you learn the truth about chronic pain is that you will no longer feel so helpless, resigned or fearful. So find out if you qualify for this approach, and then talk to me!

How I discovered the link between chronic pain and the brain

Five years ago, I started experiencing chronic shoulder pain, and had to stop pursuing my favourite hobby - rock climbing.

The more I tried to treat it - through physiotherapy, rest, heat and ice - the worse it got. I had a surgery booked to ‘fix’ an old injury, but a few days prior to that, I got excruciating calf and thigh pain in both my legs, which then spread to my Piriformis.

I cancelled my surgery to treat my new problem - but found very little relief. The treatments I tried included physical therapy, massage, pain killers and steroid injections.

My nerve pain came up shortly after that, and a specialist told me to give up on sports entirely. Another doctor hinted at Fibromyalgia.

In short, at 28 years old, I could barely walk without intense pain, I couldn't use my right shoulder properly and I also had to stop working because it hurt to type. All the things I used to enjoy had been snatched away from me, and I believed that I was extremely unlucky. Until…

I stumbled upon Tension Myositis Syndrome

A lucky Google search led me to a couple of online sites about a condition called TMS (Tension Myoneural Syndrome or Tension Myositis Syndrome)! I discovered the TMS Wiki and its Forum, both inspired by the work of an American Professional of Rehabilitation Medicine I had never heard of before - Dr John Sarno.

Sarno had been seeing people with chronic back pain for years, and had started to get a bit frustrated with the results - or lack of! Eventually, he noticed a pattern in these people, and realised that they had something in common. On this basis, he started to recommend a different approach to chronic pain, which today is known as the TMS/MindBody Syndrome approach.

The more I read about the syndrome, the more things started to fall into place. I learnt exactly why the pain started, and why it hadn’t stopped. I stopped blaming it on bad luck or fate. It was like working on a huge jigsaw-puzzle!

TMS Recovery - Pain Relief that lasts

About 5 weeks after I started educating myself about TMS and looking at the roots of the problem, I got back into rock climbing, reaching my previous level a few months later. I never had the surgery. Not only did all my pain symptoms disappear, but I also became more self-aware and more in tune with my emotions.

I also had other realisations and improvements which blew my mind; I realised that certain conditions I suffered from throughout my life were also instances of TMS, as were other chronic conditions I had. I even managed to eliminate a chronic skin condition which doctors told me there was no cure for, which I had been suffering from on and off for 10 years.

The symptoms gradually disappeared, once I acknowledged how I had been responsible in keeping them alive.

In short, I discovered that what feels impossible may indeed become possible, even if you’ve been told otherwise. This is what you get when you accept and work on TMS - long lasting recoveries that change the way you perceive life’s challenges forever.

Seeking a Tension Myositis Syndrome therapist? Here’s the truth…

I am not a TMS therapist, nor is there anyone who has been specifically trained and certified as a TMS therapist through University. Every therapist, doctor, or coach who deals with TMS has learnt about the approach through his or her own life experience, and then integrated the learnings into his or her practice.

My own psychotherapists had no idea about TMS, and although they helped me deal with certain emotional issues, they could not tell me how to overcome the pain itself.

This is because the TMS theory and approach towards chronic pain is NOT part of mainstream medicine, nor is it included as part of mainstream psychology.

I am a Certified Holistic Life Coach and Mindbody Practitioner trained to work with individuals’ limiting beliefs and mindset surrounding chronic pain.

I am also an educator on TMS / Neuroplastic Pain, and have created one of the few internationally recognised TMS certifications out there. Those interested in a career in the field can learn more about the MindBody Syndrome Practitioner Certification here.

In 2020, my work was recognised by Brainz Magazine for its contribution to others’ wellbeing.

Why work with me?

I offer TMS Consultations to help chronic pain sufferers heal faster from Tension Myositis Syndrome / Neuroplastic Pain.

In order to work with me, you need to first visit a doctor or specialist to confirm that you do not suffer from serious conditions that require urgent intervention (like cancer or infection).

Most of my clients come to me when they have already tried different conventional and alternative treatments, with little to no success.

Over the years, I have perfected my approach to equip clients with as many tools as possible to overcome the most common stumbling blocks to healing from TMS. These include identifying conflicting behaviours, thought redirection techniques, self-talk techniques, vizualisation, and other tools and insights based on Pain Reprocessing Therapy.

Today, I provide virtual coaching sessions for international clients, followed by tailor-made lessons and exercises to equip people for a pain-free life.

My latest online program, Pain Free Breakthrough, is one of the most comprehensive and practical TMS recovery programs out there, which you can follow at you own leisure. This is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to heal from TMS by committing to a structured and insightful approach that allows you to adapt every lesson to your own needs.

Tension Myositis Syndrome is Real!

Yes, although the cause is emotional, TMS pain is very real. We all experience it to a certain degree, but some people are more likely to develop severe chronic pain than others, for a number of reasons.

If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain for over 6 months with little or no relief via traditional methods, it may be time to explore pain outside the box. I am still amazed at how little the world knows about this fascinating subject, and I am now ready to spread the word!

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